Cover Story
Conflicting visions: Measure G puts a decision about the future of oil in SLO County on the November ballot
The clicking whir and mechanical clanging is different at each pump-jack (think hobby horse) that works to pull oil up from the depths below this section of Price Canyon. The new-style linear rod pumps (which look exactly as their namesake describes them) are almost silent in comparison; a gentle gushing noise is all that gives…
There’s nothing but volunteers behind this green door
Last Spring, I was one of 300 volunteers who gathered the signatures to place Measure G on the November ballot. In nine weeks, we gathered more than 20,000 signatures. I take issue with Al Fonzi’s July 5 commentary (“Look behind the green door”), where he wrote: Measure G is a “fraudulent measure that will do…
Hayley and The Crushers, The Reefriders play the Morro Bay Skateboard Museum fundraiser at The Siren July 14
The Morro Bay Skateboard Museum is super rad, a one-stop spot that chronicles the history of skateboarding from 1930s proto scooters to the homemade boards of the ’50s to the wide bowl-riding boards of the ’70s and right through to today. First opened in 2012 and currently located in Morro Bay’s Marina Square (699 Embarcadero),…
Love is love
Thank you for the colorful and inclusive Pride edition published on July 5. I am particularly pleased to see so many articles about trans and queer issues as often those are overlooked during Pride. By showcasing RawfeyL’s art, the QCares project, and Tranz Central Coast’s upcoming training, New Times helps us see how much the…
Festival Mozaic combines classical music with iTunes user agreement
The fine print Susan Cahill and John Wilkerson will perform “Sonata for Double Bass” and iTunes User Agreement during Festival Mozaic on July 20 at 7:30 p.m. as part of the Chamber Series: American Music event at the United Methodist Church in San Luis Obispo. Tickets range from $35 to $75. For more information on…
PCPA’s ‘Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike’ is a wild comedy ride
Cherry orchard? The Pacific Conservatory Theatre (PCPA) presents Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike running July 12 through 22 at the Solvang Festival Theater, 420 2nd St., Solvang. More info: (805) 922-8313. Visit pcpa.org for tickets and more information. Good news. You don’t have to be an expert on the work of Russian playwright…
Defendants contesting settlement in dog attack lawsuit
Victims of a 2016 dog attack in Grover Beach that killed one person and severely injured another have reached a tentative settlement with one of the defendants in a civil lawsuit, but others named in the suit are asking a judge to consider scuttling it. According to court documents, lawyers representing Betty Long, the 85-year-old…
Join in the divination celebration at the Ruby Dragon Psychic Faire
Ruby Dragon in Morro Bay will be hosting a Psychic Faire on Saturday, July 14, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. They will be offering tarot, oracle, and other intuitive readings. This event is an opportunity for attendees to learn about their path from practitioners like Laurine Tonkin, Sabrina Lovell, Montgomery Norton, and Vicki Lynn…
La Bellasera Hotel sues Paso over land swap
The owner of the La Bellasera Hotel and Hampton Inn and Suites in Paso Robles has sued the city, calling a recent land swap deal struck by Paso and an incoming hotelier “a backroom deal” for the “private benefit” of the company. The swap, executed by the Paso Robles City Council last September and modified…
Learn, play, empower with the Ameriprise Shibori workshop
On Thursday, July 12, from 6 to 8 p.m. join Zest It Up and Ameriprise for a Shibori workshop. Enjoy a night of learning the ancient Japanese art of Shibori, a fabric dyeing technique which produces unique patterns on fabric in order to create beautiful home decor. This event will also include food, drinks, and…
County enters design contract for Bob Jones Trail missing link
The long-desired missing link of the Bob Jones Trail to connect San Luis Obispo with Avila Beach is one small step closer to the finish line. SLO County supervisors unanimously approved a $1 million contract with the Wallace Group on July 10 to deliver engineering, design, and environmental services for the 4.4-mile bike and pedestrian…
Celebrate 1 year of sharing local art in downtown SLO
Come celebrate a full year of sharing local art in San Luis Obispo with the Central Coast Sculptors Group. This ongoing event will be held from July 5 through Aug. 25, from 1 to 9 p.m. at 959 Higuera St., San Luis Obispo. This celebration is part of the Phantom Project 13 and will feature…
Women’s March SLO founder announces run for Morro Bay City Council
Two seats on the Morro Bay City Council and the mayor position are up for grabs, and the co-founder of the Women’s March SLO, Dawn Addis, is the first to announce her intent to run for a council seat. “I think city government has the particular ability to affect people’s day-to-day lives. I’m interested in…
‘Ant-Man and the Wasp’ is serviceable action comedy
ANT-MAN AND THE WASP What’s it rated? PG-13 What’s it worth, Anna? Matinee What’s it worth, Glen? Matinee Where’s it showing? Downtown Centre, Galaxy, Park, Stadium 10, Sunset Drive-In Peyton Reed (Bring It On, Yes Man, Ant-Man) directs this next entry into the Marvel universe set after the events of Captain America: Civil War. Paul…
SLO County saw rise in hate crimes last year
California experienced a double-digit increase in the number of hate crimes between 2016 and 2017, and SLO County was no exception. According to a new report from the California Department of Justice, a total of 15 hate crime offenses were reported in the county last year, five times more than were reported in 2016. The…
Blast from the Past: Stargate
What’s it rated? PG-13 When? 1994 Where’s it showing? Streaming on Hulu Stargate, directed by Roland Emmerich (best known for producing Godzilla in 1998), Independence Day (1996), and The Day After Tomorrow (2004), is about a modern-day Egypt that is ruled by the sun god Ra (Jay Davidson). Ra has left an interstellar gateway on…
Local public sector unions prepare for the impact of the Supreme Court’s Janus decision
The recent U.S. Supreme Court Decision in the case of Janus v. AFSCME, was a blow to the nation’s public sector labor unions. But according to Patrick McNamara, it was far from unexpected. “We’ve been monitoring the case,” said McNamara, general manager for the San Luis Obispo County Employees Association (SLOCEA). “We prepared for the…
Film Listings, 7/12/18 – 7/19/18
BOUNDARIES What’s it rated? R What’s it rated? Matinee Where’s it showing? The Palm Pick From director Shana Feste (Endless Love, and You’re Not You), comes a humorous story of a dysfunctional, struggling family, reluctantly reunited. Vera Farmiga (Bates Motel) stars as Laura Jaconi, a middle class, single mother who has a strange relationship with…
Wine grape values hit record high, labor shortage hurts vegetables in 2017 SLO crop report
Despite a record year for grapes, San Luis Obispo County’s agricultural industry tapered off in 2017 compared to 2016, declining 0.5 percent in gross value to $925 million, according to the county’s annual crop report. In 2016, crop values spiked $101 million, or 12 percent, over 2015. That upward trend didn’t continue last year. Erratic…
Harmony, SLO County’s tiniest town, holds its own wine fest
Happy in Harmony The Harmony Wine and Beer Festival takes place Aug. 4 from 1 to 4 p.m. in the town of Harmony, located at 2177 Old Creamery Road. Proceeds go to Infant Essentials, a Cambria-based nonprofit 501(c)(3) that provides infant necessities. For tickets and information, go to harmonywineandbeerfestival.com. Imagine, for a moment, William Randolph…
A team of Cal Poly students work to create a sustainable superfood bar
A new superfood bar hit local store shelves and countertop displays in April of this year. It all started with a trip to the Grand Canyon and a long-lasting interest in Native American culture. Rafael Pintor, now a senior at Cal Poly, visited the national park with his family. As he soaked in the vastness…
Food for thought
Sunny disposition: SLO Solar Cooks will be presenting a cooking demonstration on July 21 that is sure to heat up your imagination. The free event offers an introduction to solar cooking, which is exactly what it sounds like: letting the sun do all the work for you! The class takes place at Davies Farm at…
Summer chubbin’
Snack on the wild side: The Charles Paddock Zoo in Atascadero will host its annual Ice Cream Zoofari event on July 14 from 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Cool down with a scoop or an ice cream float and say hi to all the exotic animals that reside there (atascadero.org) … Eat or stretch? That is…
Support a limit on oil expansion
I am writing today to express my support of Measure G. I support Measure G because it will limit the expansion of the Arroyo Grande oil field, which I fear will contaminate the drinking water in Pismo Beach. If the oil companies are allowed to build 450 more wells, they will be injecting more than…
News nibs
Tapas time: The Mark has opened in the space formerly occupied by Marston’s Bar & Grill in downtown SLO, and it’s got Latin flavors in mind! On offer: small tacos, tamales, and premium tequila, plus an elevated ambiance. Stop by Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 9…
Social media sound off
New Times readers took to Facebook to share their thoughts about our July 5 news story, “Tiny homes could be allowed in SLO backyards.”
Just imagine
This letter is to Kathy Riedmann and anyone else who read her letter in last week’s New Times (“Outrageous!” July 5) and found within it solace or worthwhile information. Her theme seemed to be that I (and probably others like me) lack imagination. Nothing could be farther from the truth, so let me share what…
Beer pong and chill
Woodstock’s Pizza and San Luis Obispo just go together, like leftover crust and ranch dressing or gum alley and obnoxious selfies! Bet you didn’t know SLO Mayor Heidi Harmon once wore an apron and hand tossed that signature folded-over dough? That addictive cinnabread? Created by a Cal Poly student, as are so many of the…
Worth fighting for
Surely we good, smart, rich people of this area can come up with something! We have homeless citizens in their 60s and 70s. I physically crumple and cry every time I see a homeless woman. The women that we all see around, here and there, in parking lots, at the Dollar Tree, walking, wandering, sometimes…
Dr. Evil is a bad source
Now comes the inevitable clash of Rhetoric & Reason columnists. The centerpiece of Al Fonzi’s July 5 installment (“Look behind the green door”) was the recent report of the Congressional Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, “Russian Attempts to Influence U.S. Domestic Energy Markets by Exploiting Social Media.” Its thesis: Russian trolls are behind the…
An uncared for community gem
I consider myself incredibly fortunate and grateful for the community that I live in. We have experienced a bit of a heat wave in this last week, but for those few and far between days of discomfort … overall, we have it pretty great. One of my favorite places in town is Sinsheimer Park. I…
Thanks, Trump
There’s nothing I like better than uncorking a bottle (or two) of locally produced wine while snacking on some locally grown strawberries and steamed locally cultivated broccoli, and then cracking open the scintillating annual SLO County crop report. After all, agriculture is a multi-million dollar part of our economy! Show me the green! The good…
